


A second chance at making a first impression

by Sexonfire24



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Human, Enemies to Lovers, First Meetings, Fluff, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, not really - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-29
Updated: 2015-07-29
Packaged: 2018-04-11 23:36:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4456853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sexonfire24/pseuds/Sexonfire24
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The amazing <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/users/kitsunequeen/profile">Kitsunequeen</a><br/>asked for:</p><p> "you tried to barge into a private conversation so I said something devastatingly witty and dismissive but you came back with something even meaner and more clever" au for sterek would be awesome:)</p>
            </blockquote>





	A second chance at making a first impression

**Author's Note:**

> My eternal love to [Bee](http://archiveofourown.org/users/AlphaOfDragons/)  
> and [Emma](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Emela/)  
> for reading throught this, correcting my mistakes, and holding my hand throught my insecurities.  
> All mistakes are mine, and mine only.  
> Also, the characters are not mine, and I don't give permission for this work to be posted on goodreads.  
>  **Edit:** The amazing [Bleep0bleep](http://archiveofourown.org/users/bleep0bleep/pseuds/bleep0bleep) made a cover for this fic. [You can also reblog it on tumblr.](http://bleep0bleep.tumblr.com/post/127680850085/a-second-chance-at-making-a-first-impression-by)  
>  Also one of the readers bought to my attention that the word spastic is pretty offensive and even ableist, so, I changed it in the work and I apologise for it. It was never my intention to offend or come across as an ableist person.

They’d had this same argument one hundred times before. Derek was tired of it already; every time Erica would bring up the same argument and they would get into a fight. It was pointless, but he always let himself be dragged into it again.

“I already told you Erica, I like Marvel best, ok? Best superheroes, best arcs, stories, best team ups, like Avengers, Fantastic Four and X Men. Better representativity, better everything to be honest.”

They were arriving in the mall to have their usual lunch, and they started to argue while they waited for the elevator arrive.

“Wrong. DC has the best villains, the most quirky characters, and they also have Vertigo, and I know you read their stuff, so stop being such a jerk.”

She smiled and pushed him into the elevator as soon it opened, causing him to stumble into it and into the chest of the guy who was inside. He quickly apologised and turned back to Erica, scolding her.

“Vertigo is label so different from DC that they actually aren’t part of DC for me, so I don’t count it. But dude, you literally have a guy who rides a seahorse, the other one’s super power is running. Like, what is he? A robber in flight? Then you have another guy who was in such a hurry to dress himself that he ended up with his underwear over his pants.”

Derek was so caught up in trying to duck Erica’s slap that he wasn’t paying attention to the guy behind him glaring daggers at his head .

“I’m sorry, Barry Allen isn’t just some speedy guy. I’ll have you to know that he uses his super power to acquire knowledge and help people. Like once in the comics, this building caught on fire, so he not only saved everyone in it, but he also learned how to construct another building, bought the supplies and made another building in its place so the people who lived there wouldn’t become homeless.”

His tone was not only defiant but the guy also looked livid, and now that Derek looked at him, he was, in fact, wearing a Flash T Shirt. Derek’s stupid mouth was about to give him problems again.

He opened his mouth to speak, but the guy interrupted him again.

“And tell you what, Aquaman is a fucking great hero. He is superhuman, has advanced hearing and sight, not to mention the super strength. He can control all the sea life in the world and more than half of the water. He can dehydrate anyone he touches with the “Death Touch”, and not only is he the strongest hero in water, he is also one of the strongest outside of it. And you, what the fuck you can do?” he asked Derek in a mock tone as the elevator came to a stop and they all walked out of it.

“Me? I’m a real person who doesn’t to have to explain himself to some strange kid in a elevator because I hurt his feelings about comic books.” Derek gave him one of his famous death glares, hoping it worked as well as it does with his friends.

“Oh, so you admit that you’re only a boring, grumpy, and fun sucking kind of guy who backs out quickly in front of a real challenge? That’s sad. Here I was thinking this could be fun. I should have judged the book by the cover, shouldn’t I?” The guy was looking at him from head to toe and shaking his head in clear disappointment. “Then again, I’m not that surprised. Looking at you closely I can even bet that you’re the kind of guy that only does missionary position. Ugh.” He made a disgusted face and then he looked back to Erica and smiled.

“Here Catwoman, this is my store,” he said, giving Erica his card. “It’s here on the third floor. Drop by whenever and we can not only talk, but I also can hook you up with all the new comics.” Erica accepted the card, taking it with an even bigger smile.

“I’ll sure as hell drop by ‘Sarcastic Comics’. Interesting choice of name for your place... Stiles,” she said, smiling at him gently.

“I’m a sarcastic guy, so I thought the name fitted right in. I got to get back to the store, but it was a pleasure to meet you, milady.”  Then, looking back at Derek, he blurted out: “You loser, are invited to stay away from my store.” Stiles huffed and walked back towards the elevator. Probably to go back to his floor because they were three floors up.

Derek watched as he walked back, feeling uneasy. He didn’t really care about what this guy, or anyone for that matter, thought about him, but something in Stiles’ voice, something in him made Derek think that perhaps he made a foolish mistake. Even so, he put the feeling in the back of his head and walked away with Erica, wanting to have his lunch and forget all about the guy.

Derek owned a bookstore across the mall. Erica worked in there with him, so they always stopped by to have their lunch or dinner together. While they were trying to get their food, Erica tried to make conversation and talk to him a little more about his day and family- the usual topics- but it didn’t really work. His head was elsewhere. To be more precise, three floors down.

 

“Earth to Derek? Man, if I’d known that having your ass kicked in a conversation about comics with a random guy would let you so astonished, I would have tried it before,” she said, looking concerned.

Derek sighed. “Am I too grumpy? Or douche?” he asked. “ I mean, I know I can be kinda rude sometimes, but I just--”

 

Erica took pity of his faltering and answered him.

 

“Look Der, I won’t say that you’re not an asshole sometimes, okay? Friendship means not lying for who we love, so I won’t do that. But the guy was kinda assholish to you too. He barged into our conversation. He was mean to you, and also unfair. I mean, comparing you to a super hero? Way to make a person feel bad about himself, right?” She asked making a face, obviously trying to lighten the mood.

 

“He also judged you and I know that it shook you, but you shouldn’t be bummed about it, okay? He’s just a random guy that you don’t know, and his opinion about you doesn’t matter. The only opinion that matters is mine, and now I think we need to go back to the bookstore with the boys’ lunch or else they’re gonna kill us. And we both know how scarily good Isaac is with a shovel.”

 

She winked at him which made him smile, and not for the first time Derek caught himself being thankful for having his friends.

 

When they got back to work, they had a normal afternoon after that. Derek tried to put away the itchy feeling that the guy’s words gave him. And if he stood for a little longer in the front of the bookstore, looking back to the mall and imagining what a certain Stiles was doing, no one was there to judge him.

 

*

 

A couple of days later, Derek had let it go. He didn’t even remember Stiles. Not at all.

 

He wasn’t being paranoid and re-evaluating his whole life because a complete stranger told him he was boring.

 

He never would do that. He was just trying new things, it doesn’t matter what Erica said.

Maybe he was kind of overreacting, but no one could blame him.

 

So maybe he got a little in over his head thinking about his lifestyle. And you know what? He wasn’t boring. He had a routine, he liked his routine; he liked symmetry; he didn’t like change. He just wasn’t wild and impulsive and barged into people’s conversations out of nowhere. He was a calm and collected person.

 

There’s nothing wrong with that.

 

The thing is, in the days that passed by, the words ‘fun sucking’, ‘boring’ and ‘grumpy’ echoed in his ears and he couldn’t get past the feeling that he was indeed all of that. He caught himself more than once looking at his clothing, his shoes, the way he styled his hair, even his glasses were completely and stupidly normal.

 

But the worse thing was when he asked his sisters how they would define him.

 

“What kind of question is that Derek, ‘define me in one word’? Are you fifteen and going through some sort puberty anxiety?” Cora asked him making a face while she changed the channel on the TV. She had her boots on the coffee table again, until he slapped them off for the second time since they got here.

 

Every month they had a stay in day that they called the Hella Hale Day where they gathered in one of their houses, to chat and get to know what the other is up too. They were close siblings, and they always tried to keep it that way. This month was Derek’s time to receive the girls in his home.

 

One of those times, Erica was there with him making the inventory of the bookstore, which basically meant that  Erica was with Derek having a heart to heart about her relationship with Boyd, he had just asked her to move in with him and she was having trouble in giving the big step. The girls dropped in and found Erica kind of crying in Derek’s shoulder, and because they all already know each other, they invited her to stay. After that, Erica was a permanent fixture in the HHD’s tradition.

 

“Are we playing twenty questions?” Laura enquired making her way from the kitchen with Erica, bringing the snacks.

 

“Only if you want to grill your brother about how much he is hung up about a random boy’s words.” Erica answered them with a mock tone.

 

“I am not hung up on anyone’s opinion of me Erica, I already told you that. I’m just trying to see if I can make changes, like, for good,” he answered them, trying really hard to sound confident, but from Erica’s judging snort and Cora’s laughter, he really wasn’t having success.

 

“You, changing anything about yourself? Go easy there bro, you may hurt yourself there!” Cora sing songed to him and then she and Erica erupted into a fit of giggles. Laura looked at him, concerned and scolded them.

 

“Cora, Erica, can you please have some compassion? Look Der, I know I never told this to you before but, you don’t have to change yourself for no one. You’re a strong and  independent guy that doesn’t need no man!” she advised him with all the confidence and fierceness that only a big sister could muster saying those words.

 

Erica and Cora exchanged looks and then they looked back at Derek, the tension palpable in the air. He couldn’t handle it, and he lost it.

 

He started to laugh so hard that in seconds he was wheezing and crying and looking back at the girls he saw they were all in the same state. Laura kept a straight face for thirty seconds and then she threw popcorn at Erica’s face and started to laugh again.

 

Ten minutes later, the four of them had managed to turn the couch upside down, laying on it with the popcorn everywhere.

 

“Seriously now, little brother, what is bumming you?” Laura asked him, carding her fingers through his hair.

 

“It’s not bum-” Erica huffed, interrupting him from where Cora was braiding her hair, and he sighed.

 

“I don’t really know why his words are bothering me so much you know? Like, I get it was a stupid discussion, and the guy probably don’t even remember me anymore, but I just- I just can’t shake the feeling he was right, you know? I am boring. There’s never anything new about me. I’m not exciting, or fun or surprising in any way. I have never done anything impulsive in my life. Hell, I haven’t changed my haircut since college, Laur. I’m just this plain, grumpy guy that is getting older and older and his life is passing by, and I’m not doing anything about it.”

 

When he finished talking, his face was contorted in a displeased grimace and his ears burned with embarrassment. Derek closed his eyes so he didn’t need to see the pity in their faces. Having to admit to his sisters and his best friend how he felt was pretty hard, but Derek knew they wouldn’t let the subject go, knowing that it bothered him so much.

 

He heard a huff, and then all three of them were more or less entangled with him. Laura hugged him from the right side, Erica on the left, while Cora just splayed herself on his lap, resting her head on his chest and started to talk.

 

“Do you remember when I came home that day in junior year and told you that I was gay? I was so upset and I cried a lot because one of the boys in school found out and he was making fun of me because I was into his girlfriend. I got home with bloodshot eyes from sobbing and curled up in my bed feeling sorry for myself. My older brother, this handsome, really nerdy prince charming walked in, hugged me and let me cry into his chest for an hour.” Cora paused and looked at Erica with bright and mischievous eyes filled with tears and smiled.  

 

“When he finally calmed me down, he asked what happened and told me that no girl was too good for me, and if she dated a jerk instead of me it was her loss because I was, in his words, ‘fucking amazing’. The next day, my brother punched the guy in the middle of the cafeteria at school. He broke a finger and was probably more hurt than the guy, but oh man, that was one of the best moments in my life. I always loved my bro, but in that day he became my hero.”

 

Cora looked at him, and wiped his tears away before she continued.

 

“See, my brother is kind of grumpy, he is a little shit, and he likes everything in his own way. But he is one of the best people you can meet, he has a heart of gold, he’s fiercely loyal and even if I don’t say that too much, he inspires me and I love him so fucking much. My point is, if any guy thinks you’re not enough, I say: Fuck him!”

 

Derek hugged her to his chest as  tightly as he could he could and hid his tears in her neck. Erica and Laura were also hugging them, and he felt surrounded by love and affection and he let himself soak in the warmth until the position hurt his back and they got up to put things back in place. They say back in couch and put a movie on.

 

“Can I say something though?” Erica asked sheepishly, and the siblings all nodded. Erica’s opinions were always welcomed, even when Derek wanted to stick his fingers in his ears and run because of the atrocities she sometimes said. He still had nightmares over the things she told him about her and Boyd’s sex life.

 

“Ok, I know that this self love and value is amazing and you go Cora for being so cute, but I have to point something out. If Stiles words bothered you so much, there’s two options to be considered here. One, you are insecure about those things yourself, and I don’t really think that’s the case, because you always enjoyed who you are and had no problem showing that before. Or two, because it was Stiles’ opinion of you. And while I know that if someone doesn’t think you’re not enough, you should run away and fast from them, I also know that that wasn’t really the case.”

 

“What do you mean it wasn’t the case, Goldilocks? The guy was dickhead to Derek!” Cora countered, outraged on her brother’s behalf.

 

“Yeah, he was, but also Derek was being a jackass to me about DC and Stiles just smacked him down, royally, but that was it, you know, a smack down. I know for a fact that Stiles is a funny and great guy. I’ve dropped by his store twice and we chat and he even gave me a free Catwoman graphic novel that I wanted. He isn’t a jerk. Or better, he is the same kind of jerk Derek is.”

 

“Does he want to get into your pants?” Laura asked her.

 

“Hmm, no! I would do him, seriously, but you guys know how gone I’m on Boyd and he actually asked me about Derek both times I was there. So I don’t think he’s interested in me.”

 

“You didn’t tell me he asked about me,” Derek said, glaring at her.

 

“To be honest, I’m only telling you now because I know that you’re really interested in him and not just bothered by a stranger.”

 

“I’m not interested in him, I was just-” He was met with three angry stares, and sliding down the couch he tried to hide his face with a cushion “Ok, nevermind.”

 

“So, what you going to do, Der bear?” Cora asked the question.

 

“Me? I plan on doing nothing, just trying to forget all of this nonsense.”

 

“Yeah? Tell me how that worked for you this week?” Laura told him, smirking. “I’ll tell what I think you should do. I think you should take a nice shower, that me and the girls should pick some clothes for you, and you should drop by the mall because you are dying to read the last famous comic book, and also to invite the damn boy to a late dinner with you.”

 

“Now, but it’s almost nine and I’m not-”

 

“No but’s, Bro. Laur is right, you want the guy, go earn him man, show him how amazing you are and that he would miss a lot if he at least didn’t get to know you.”

 

Derek looked at his sisters and his best friend, and took a deep breath. He had nothing to lose, and if anything went wrong, he had them to take care of him. So he thought fuck it, and stood up.

 

“For fucking sake, don’t choose anything stupid for me to wear,” he growled, walking out of the living room, leaving the three excited women squealing.

 

**

 

He had at least ten minutes freaking out in the car, a blur of - what if Stiles shut him down, what if he wasn’t even there, why was Derek doing this anyway -  going through his head and Derek didn’t have a clue what to do.

 

He texted Laura telling her just that, and seconds later his phone lit up with her answer.

 

>Yes, you are doing something impulsive.

>And yes you can fall on your face

>But you also can end with a cute date at the end of this night.

>So stop freaking out and go get him tiger!

 

He took a deep breath and got out of the car.

 

It was past eight when Derek got into the third floor of the mall, and it closed at nine during weekends, so he would probably find Stiles closing the store.

 

He was nervous. Scratch that, he was mildly panicking because he hadn’t done anything as impulsive as this since college. But Erica was right about that, if this boy- this man- could bring up on Derek such a urge of being different, of being a better version of himself, he supposed it was worth the trouble. He hoped so, at least.

 

He was walking through the hall of stores already closing and searching, when he walked through a wall of glass and saw Stiles on the inside. It would be a clichê to say that his heart beat a little faster, but it would only be the truth. In the ‘Sarcastic Comics’ the guy who had worked his way inside Derek’s brain in the past few days danced his way through the shelves of comics with a stash of them in his arms.

 

Stiles shook his head to the beat of some melody as he organized the comics, taking some out and replacing them in the right places. He was spastic indeed, but in the minutes Derek stood there watching him he saw he had some sort of fluidity that Derek couldn’t help be captivated by. He didn’t notice Derek, but neither did Derek notice someone trying to get his attention while his gaze was fixed somewhere else entirely

 

“Hey!” the guy said, finally startling Derek out of his trance. “ I’m sorry, I was calling you for a few seconds. Do you wanna come in to look at something? If you promise not stay too long, I’ll let you. We’re already closing, but this was a good day all round and I won’t shoo you away without your comic needs being fulfilled.”

 

The guy smiled at him goofily while talking and he had the most puppy like face Derek had ever seen. He even cocked his head to the side, trying to make sense of Derek.

 

“I’m sorry, I’m not here to buy comics, I’m actually here to talk with Stiles. I’m Derek,” he said, sticking out a hand to shake the guy’s.

 

“I’m Scott. I’m Stiles best friend, we share the store. I’m barely here nowadays to be honest, I’m a vet, but I like to drop by and help him sometimes, catch up on things.” The guy, Scott, smiled so much that for a second Derek was sure it had to hurt. “Come on, let’s tell the dancer boy you’re here.”

 

He followed Scott into the store and waited. This is was the moment he’d been waiting for and dreading at the same time; his palms felt clammy, and he felt kind of too overdressed for this, but he had committed himself to making a good second impression and he was going to do it.

 

“Stiles, your friend Derek is here to see you,” Scott bellowed and then turned back to Derek. “I’m going to be in the back room finishing up, call if you guys need anything.” And with that, he vanished.

 

Derek looked warily towards the door, wondering if he could make a break for it a second too late because Stiles chose that exact moment to look back and say:

 

“But I don’t have any friends called Der-” His lips made a perfect O, and had Derek only realised now how perfect those cupid bow lips were? Shutting his mouth, Stiles looked  Derek from head to toe before finishing, “Oh, it’s you. To what do I have the pleasure? Are you here to buy a comic or to be educated about them, again?” he said, grimacing.

 

Derek startled for a second, but then he took a breath and remembered that for some reason he wanted to get to know this infuriating creature.

 

“I’m here to talk to you actually. But I’m only willing to do that if we can talk as mature adults.”

 

“Oh, I fear it is not going to be possible. I am indeed an adult, but my maturity levels after eight on a saturday night are very, very little,” Stiles told him with a glint of mischief in his eyes.

 

“Okay, so I’m here to talk to you, with the version of you willinging to talk to me on this summer saturday night.” Derek tried to smile and be the politest he could, but he had the sensation that his boundaries were being tested.

 

“I’ll bite. About what you want to talk, Derek? I feel the last time we spoke there wasn’t enough warmth left to talk again.”

 

“I seem to remember that your words were that I was ‘invited to stay away from your store,’”  Derek quoted him in a mock tone.

 

It was Stiles’ turn to become beet red while Derek smothered his laugh watching him.

 

“I think you forgot the word loser, but yes, I was very much an asshole to you that day. I apologise. I’m kinda way too into comics to let people shit talk it in front of me and sometimes I get too carried away. I’m sorry.”

 

“That’s actually why I’m here. Not only because we both acted like tools, but because I wanted a second chance to make a first impression.” He looked at Stiles, who had a blank expression on his face for the first time since their first encounter. Derek breathed and steered himself to finish talking.

 

“I’m not the kind of guy that does impulsive things like drop by someone else’s work to try and talk to them into giving me a chance of getting to know them, into showing them that yes I’m a grumpy guy, but I can be pretty interesting if you’re inclined to get to know me more. When you were talking about comics, the passion, the honesty and the truth that you’ve spoke made me want listen to you more, and share my opinions in the matter with you too.”

 

When Derek ended the speech he had thought about the whole way from home to the mall parking lot, he was very aware that everything around them had stilled. The music had stopped, and he and Stiles were so still that he could even hear their breathing.

 

“Only about comics?” Stiles asked and something in his voice made Derek take that final leap of faith.

 

“To be really honest with you, the more I think the more I’ve realized that I’m inclined to hear you talk about everything and anything. I’m kinda pathetically fond of you.”

 

The smile that broke across Stiles’ face made putting himself out there more than worth it.

 

“I’ll have to warn you that I have the attention span of a Hummingbird, and I can talk a mile per minute and you’ll grew really frustrated of it very soon.”

 

“I’ll take my chances.” Derek told him with a big smile of his own. It was probably the right answer because next thing he knew he had an armful of Stiles and they were having their first kiss.

 

They started chaste, nothing more than a press of lips and Stiles’ hand running through his hair, while his other arm circled Derek’s middle bringing him closer, and he felt more than happy to comply.

 

Stiles broke the kiss and rubbed their noses together before saying, “ Don’t worry, I promise I’ll be impulsive enough for the both of us.”

 

“I’m getting myself into trouble, aren’t I?” Derek asked, faking dread.

 

“You can bet your sweet ass you are,” Stiles said patting said ass briefly only to mess with Derek, and laughing out loud when he saw that he indeed fulfilled his purpose. Derek could only kiss the top of his head in return and let the warmth of knowing this laugher was going to be part of his days spread through him.

 

He thought that he definitely could handle a little mockery if he got to have this, and hugged Stiles a little closer.

  


**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it, and as always kudos and comments are appreciated.
> 
> You can find me here on [Tumblr](http://hoechlinslapsdylansbutt.tumblr.com/)  
> 


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